Subway Footlongs are only 11 inches, lawsuits claim

Apparently size really does matter, at least when it comes to Subway sandwiches. The restaurant chain is now facing three lawsuits over allegations that its famed “Footlong” sandwiches are actually only 11 inches long.

This revelation came courtesy of an Australian teenager, whose photo of a Footlong next to a tape measure went viral on the Internet last week. Since then, plaintiffs in Mount Holly, N.J.; Philadelphia and Chicago have sued Subway for compensatory damages and injunctive relief for deceptive advertising.

The suits, which are seeking class action status, say that the fast food chain has demonstrated a pattern of false advertising and sales practices. “This is no different than buying a dozen eggs and getting 11,” Tom Zimmerman, an attorney for the Chicago plaintiffs told Thomson Reuters. “You’re buying a dozen inches and only getting 11.”

In response, Subway says that it has “redoubled [its] efforts to ensure consistency and correct length in every sandwich we serve.” Subway Australia, meanwhile, says that “Footlong” is merely a registered trademark and not a guarantee of each sandwich’s length.